Ooma to ALL phones in the house

Yesterday, an acquaintance ( Bob Gannon – @bobgannon) asked me whether one could use the Ooma Hub to power all of the phones throughout your home.

That is a GOOD QUESTION! When I bought the unit, that was my original intention. But, as Bob stated, there is very little info about this. That is understandable since Ooma probably wants you NOT to use it that way. Let me explain…

The Ooma Hub “normally” will be set up as a supplement to your normal fixed phone line.  This is how it is described in their documentation (page 2 of the user guide):

By using the ooma system with a landline, you increase the reliability of your phone service and retain traditional 911 services. This allows you to make and receive phone calls, including 911 calls, even if your Internet service is down or your power is out….

The benefits of setting up the Ooma system this way:

• The standard setup is simple and quick and does not require any rewiring of the home.
• If you use this setup, then all of Ooma’s documentation works correctly.
• The standard setup is REQUIRED if you want to use the Ooma Scout. The Scout allows you to have a second Ooma “private” phone number and provides an “extension” phone connection elsewhere in your home.
• Even if you disconnect your fixed phone line, everything will still work as described

The downside of the “normal” setup:

• You ONLY have Ooma phone service on whatever phone(s) are connected directly to the Ooma Hub (or optionally, the Scout).
• The placement of the Hub (near your Internet Modem) may not be a convenient location to place the ONLY Ooma phone.
• If you do set up the Ooma as secondary, then the answer to Bob’s question is “No. You cannot use the Ooma for “whole house phone service.”

So to offset some of these problems, Ooma offers the Ooma Scout as an alternative. The Scout allows you to have a second Ooma phone line and a “private” number plus other benefits. (Note: The use of the Ooma Scout requires you to pay for their “Premier service.)

My solution: (The order of these steps is important. It may take a couple weeks or more for the phone company to complete all of the actions). If your ISP is Cable or Fiber, you can skip to item #4.

1. Request that the phone company move the DSL connection from your home phone number to a “dry line.” Tell them that you will – at a later time – “port” your home phone number to another provider and you want to retain DSL service WITHOUT attached phone service. This will change the DSL’s phone number to another number and the installer will place the (new) DSL line on a separate connection at the phone company’s box on your home. This MUST be completed prior to starting item #4.
2. Connect your DSL modem to the NEW DSL connection and assure that you can connect to the Internet. Your fixed phone line and all existing phones will still be connected to the original phone connection and still will work correctly until you decide to turn off the land line / fixed phone service.
3. After the installed has moved the DSL connection, you can remove all of the DSL filters from your phone lines. They will no longer be needed whether you use an Ooma device or not.
4. Activate your Ooma Hub and request a SEPARATE Ooma phone number. You can port your home phone number later.
5. Connect the Ooma Hub to your Modem (DSL Cable or Fiber) according to the instructions included with the Ooma device.
6. Forward all calls from your phone company number to the new Ooma phone number. (This service may require an additional expense but you will only need  it until your number is ported and then it will become your Ooma phone number.
7. Disconnect the telephone company’s line from your home phone system. This can be done by simply unplugging the plug in the box where the telephone service enters your home.
8. THIS IS THE SOLUTION AND IS IMPORTANT! – DO NOT connect the Ooma “Wall” jack to the phone jack on the wall as they show in the documentation. Instead, connect the Ooma “Phone” jack to the standard phone jack.
9. At this point, all of your phones will be active on the Ooma line & Ooma phone number. All calls made either to your old home phone number OR to the new Ooma phone number will ring all the phones in your house. All outgoing calls will be made via the Ooma hub and all US calls will be free. Note that anyone you call will see your CallerID number as the Ooma number so this may be confusing but it will only be for a short time.
10. When you are satisfied with the call quality and service that the Ooma device provides, begin the process of porting your old home phone number to the Ooma. Ooma currently charges #39.99 for this service but your phone company should not charge you anything for their part. (Note: Ooma provides porting w/o charge if you purchase their Premier service at $120 per year.)
11. You should be notified when your home number has been ported over to the Ooma. This is the time that you  should  call your phone company and assure that they have stopped billing you.

You are now set up with Ooma to make and receive calls without any long distance charges or monthly fees! All phones connected to your existing home phone wiring should work properly and you can use any normal phone or device at any jack.

DISCLAIMER: This and all guides & How-To’s on this site are given as general information only. You are entirely responsible for your own actions. I will not be held liable for any damage done as a result of your attempts to follow these guides. USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK!